LEARN Blog – learning from each other and building a community https://blogs.learnquebec.ca/ The LEARN community of bloggers is made up of pedagogical consultants, teachers and other educators working on a variety of LEARN projects. Together, we represent a wide spectrum of professional experience and opinions about education in the 21st century, especially when it comes to the anglophone community of Quebec, Canada. Learn Teaching and Learning blog. Sat, 16 Mar 2024 19:27:35 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://blogs.learnquebec.ca/files/2022/10/cropped-android-chrome-512x512-1-32x32.png LEARN Blog – learning from each other and building a community https://blogs.learnquebec.ca/ 32 32 Unboxing the Excitement: Screen-Free Robotics for Elementary Cycle 2 & 3 https://blogs.learnquebec.ca/2024/03/unboxing-the-excitement-screen-free-robotics-for-elementary-cycle-2-3/ https://blogs.learnquebec.ca/2024/03/unboxing-the-excitement-screen-free-robotics-for-elementary-cycle-2-3/#respond Sat, 16 Mar 2024 19:27:27 +0000 https://blogs.learnquebec.ca/?p=14572 Image caption: Kubo loves to get dressed up and tell stories! Here, cycle 2 students turned Kubo into a rainbow cat. They wrote a story about the cat’s adventures and created a map showcasing locations that were in their story using a template on Kubo Portal. Finally, the students coded Kubo to retell their story. […]

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Image caption: Kubo loves to get dressed up and tell stories! Here, cycle 2 students turned Kubo into a rainbow cat. They wrote a story about the cat’s adventures and created a map showcasing locations that were in their story using a template on Kubo Portal. Finally, the students coded Kubo to retell their story.

 

This past December, my colleague Chris Colley wrote a blog post on Screen-Free Robotics for our Youngest Learners. I recently had the opportunity to unbox several screen-free robots with the help of my kiddos, and I was surprised at how intuitive and versatile these tools are.

As Chris’ article points out, many screen-free robots are accessible to preschoolers and Cycle 1 students; however, there are also many ways to go further with these robots. As an educator, I am a big fan of the motto, “Do more with less.” Many robots can be introduced in kindergarten and used throughout elementary school in a way that continues to engage, motivate, and expand students’ curricular competencies and digital competency.

Although screen free robots have many uses, unboxing them for the first time with your students can seem intimidating. You may wonder where to start or how robots can connect to what you are already teaching. In order to support you, the RÉCIT team for the Anglophone community has filmed several unboxing videos that include helpful information and tips to get you and your students started. In the remainder of this post, I will briefly introduce the screen-free robots I unboxed this month and some ideas for infusing them into content areas at the elementary cycle 2 & 3 levels!

Code and Go Mouse by Learning Resources

Purple mouse on a grib with sticky notes on various locations of the grid labeled with different social science aspects of society

Cycle 2 students selected a Social Science document. They related each document to an aspect of society and navigated Colby, the Code & Go Robot Mouse, to the aspect’s location. Finally, the students explained how the document related to the aspect of society they selected.

This simple directional screen-free robot is great for Kindergarten and up. Some of the youngest learners can practice problem solving and cause and effect by coding the mice through a maze to get a magnetic piece of cheese. While this is certainly fun, simple directional bots can also be used to teach or reaffirm more advanced concepts. When working with more advanced learners, it can be fun to go by ‘off the grid’ and create mapped out areas where learners can practice concepts on the floor of your classroom. You can challenge students to navigate to different points that have meaning in content areas. For example, you could give students a mathematical operation and have them navigate to the correct number, or you could read a connect the facts card or document in social sciences and have students navigate the aspect of society or the period the document is related to. You could also have students create 3D structures for the mice to move through and develop stories about the adventures that the mice embark on.

See the unboxing video here!

 

 

 

Evo by OzoBot

Evo bot with a sign on it saying moon, going around an object that is labeled earth

Evo was used to help explain what happens during a solar eclipse and what the term ‘path of totality’ means!

As my colleague Chris mentioned in his blog post, Ozobots are color-recognition robots. Learners can code Ozobots like Evo using markers (screen-free option) or the Ozoblockly app (screens needed). Kindergarten and Cycle 1 students can certainly use them with markers for storytelling, colour recognition practice, or reviewing cardinal directions. However, there are many possibilities for students in elementary cycles 2 and 3 to go further with these bots and the coding markers. For example, they could use the bots to explore math concepts like distances, angles, and speeds. You could challenge students to program Evo to travel a specific distance using precise measurements or follow a particular geometric path. You could also use the light and colour sensors to learn about lights & shadows in science. Below is an image of how we used Evo to explain solar eclipses and what the term path of totality means.

Check out the unboxing video here!

 

Kubo by Kubo Robotics

Kubo base map with 3 sight words taped to various locations

Working in pairs, students can take turns placing sight words on Kubo’s base mat and navigating Kubo to the words’ locations. Screen-free robotics make a great addition to literacy centers!

Students can use a tag tile to code Kubo to follow routes on or off the grid. While working on the grid is a good option for K-Cycle 1 students, elementary cycle 2 and up can challenge themselves to work off the grid using the record, play, and loop tiles. One thing I love about this robot is that you or your students can create costumes and maps using the templates available on the Kubo Portal. The ability to personalize Kubo’s looks and ‘location’ makes it a good choice for storytelling, practicing mathematical functions, sequencing and even sight word recognition.

See the unboxing video here!

 

 

 

Cubelets by Modular Robotics

hands manipulating cubelets

Students can make robots with Cubelets and then create a class presentation to explain their robot to the class. They could even write stories about their robot’s adventures!

These super durable robotic blocks can appeal to learners (and teachers) who love building blocks. While the youngest learners can use cubelets to create robots by randomly sticking the magnetic blocks together, the more advanced learners can activate their computational thinking with free printable challenge cards that are great for centers or students that finish their work early. Advanced learners can even jump on-screen, create their code, and then transfer the new code to the blocks using the Bluetooth block or hat for further learning experiences. One idea is to have students invent a robot and create posters or presentations to explain (or advertise) their robot to others.

See the unboxing video here!

 

Specdrums by Sphero

Finger with specdrums tapping colored dots below vowels

You can use Specdrums for more than just music! You can quickly create worksheets or activities for students to practice phonetics, sight words, math facts and more!

Of all the robotic tools I unboxed recently, Specdrums by Spero was one of my favourites. Specdrums are silicone rings with colour sensors. You can code them to play a specific sound when they touch a particular colour. These rings are easy to use and do not require previous coding experience. While the box says you can use them to create and remix music, their uses are much more versatile. For example, you can record audio clips (up to 10 seconds long) of phonetic sounds, definitions, scientific explanations, etc. You can then code the rings so that they play the recording when you press a colour on an item like a poster or worksheet. One way I like to use Specdrums in social sciences is to have students create timelines in which users scan colour dots to learn more about the events that took place during the specified times.

I should mention that Specdrums aren’t necessarily ‘screen-free’; they need a bluetooth connection to a digital device in order to play and customize the sounds. This being said, they do have a Bluetooth range of about 15m so once the rings are connected and you are happy with the programmed sounds, you can easily walk around your classroom space or even bring them outside for learning activities! If you use them outside, you may just want to mention that the rings are not waterproof.

See the unboxing video here!

 

As the above tools show, you do not need screens to activate digital competency and computational thinking. Learners and teachers alike benefit from screen-free tinkering! We encourage you to check out the complete LEARN unboxing playlist for more helpful tips on these tools. You can also check out the resources on the Digital Competency in Action (of DCA website). Finally, we’d also love to see how you and your students use screen-free robotics so please tag the LEARN Ped Team on Instagram or X !

 

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Preparing for the April 8th Eclipse with Isabel Deslauriers from Let’s Talk Science! https://blogs.learnquebec.ca/2024/02/preparing-for-the-april-8th-eclipse-with-isabelle-deslauier-from-lets-talk-science/ https://blogs.learnquebec.ca/2024/02/preparing-for-the-april-8th-eclipse-with-isabelle-deslauier-from-lets-talk-science/#respond Wed, 28 Feb 2024 15:03:58 +0000 https://blogs.learnquebec.ca/?p=14458 Recently LEARN had the great opportunity to talk with Isabel Deslauriers from Let’s Talk Science! We discussed how we should prepare our students/children for this phenomenal event happening this April across Québec. Below are the resources we discussed and how to make a pinhole projector. Let’s Talk Science Resources on Eclipse Make a pinhole projector […]

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Recently LEARN had the great opportunity to talk with Isabel Deslauriers from Let’s Talk Science! We discussed how we should prepare our students/children for this phenomenal event happening this April across Québec. Below are the resources we discussed and how to make a pinhole projector.

Let’s Talk Science Resources on Eclipse

Make a pinhole projector
LEARN’s Eclipse Resources

Enjoy this once in a lifetime phenomenon April 8th beginning around 2:15 PM EST across the province of Québec

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ShiftED Podcast: In conversation with Nick Maturo of ELAN https://blogs.learnquebec.ca/2024/02/shifted-podcast-in-conversation-with-nick-maturo-of-elan/ Fri, 09 Feb 2024 19:06:18 +0000 https://blogs.learnquebec.ca/?p=14450 Nick Maturo, interim CEO of ELAN, the English Language Artists Network, joined me for a wonderful conversation about their steadfast commitment to fostering linguistic and cultural diversity through the medium of English. ELAN provides a vibrant community for artists to connect, grow, and showcase their talents. Through its innovative educational programs and initiatives, ELAN empowers […]

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Nick Maturo, interim CEO of ELAN, the English Language Artists Network, joined me for a wonderful conversation about their steadfast commitment to fostering linguistic and cultural diversity through the medium of English. ELAN provides a vibrant community for artists to connect, grow, and showcase their talents. Through its innovative educational programs and initiatives, ELAN empowers artists to break boundaries, challenge conventions, and weave intricate narratives that resonate across Quebec. United by a shared passion for language and the arts, members of ELAN forge meaningful connections, spark inspiration, and cultivate a rich tapestry of artistic expression. In the ever-evolving landscape of the arts, ELAN continues to serve as a driving force, nurturing a community where creativity flourishes and voices are heard. Educator check out the workshop that artists offer for classrooms and schools. https://www.quebec-elan.org/

 

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Pre-Service Science Teachers Play with STEAM https://blogs.learnquebec.ca/2024/01/pre-service-science-teachers-play-with-steam/ Wed, 31 Jan 2024 20:46:25 +0000 https://blogs.learnquebec.ca/?p=14438 This past month LEARN was invited to workshop with four groups of future elementary science teachers at McGill University. Our objective was to make them live STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics) in two different activities. We believe mindset is everything, and merely teaching content does not effectively get students to “think like” a […]

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This past month LEARN was invited to workshop with four groups of future elementary science teachers at McGill University. Our objective was to make them live STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics) in two different activities. We believe mindset is everything, and merely teaching content does not effectively get students to “think like” a scientist, a mathematician, an architect and so on. Lived experiences inspire true learning that students tend never to forget. Now, at the elementary level, science isn’t necessarily taught by specialists, which can make beginning teachers very skittish. They might feel they don’t have the expertise to “teach” science and technology, thus tend to follow whatever textbook was left behind, or try to avoid it at all costs. LEARN decided it would be best for the pre-service teachers to live STEAM by doing, and in turn they would uncover a mindset of wonder, discovery, and yes thinking and doing as scientists do.

Our first activity used the lens of the science concept of states of matter; gas, liquid and solids. We gave certain parameters, but still left the activity open enough for personal creativity and learning styles to flourish.

The Prompt: Create an artbot that can draw on its’ own (hands-free) that represented in its markings one of the states of matter. The idea being that gas would leave a random, spacious marking on paper, liquid more linear but still has space between markings and solid would be represented in a solid line. The students had limited materials (a cup, motor, battery, markers, cup, two wires and a cork), and were on limited time… 25 minutes to complete.

Needless to say, they had to think! But the beauty is every artbot was unique, and the students could experience and witness the subjects in one STEAM activity. Sure it was hard, there was some frustration, trouble shooting, critical thinking, lots of mistakes and yes tons of learning. When we debriefed, they were able to pick out where the science was, where the engineering was etc… the glimmer of a new mindset was planted. Less us, more them!

Our second activity was a little more high tech, as we used the microcontroller, Makey Makey to animate a science model they had previously created in class on a variety of concepts like the life of a worm, and water cycle. We showed them how to hookup a Makey Makey that would take over the keyboard with conductive materials, like play dough, copper tape and pencils, plus we added Scratch so they could record their voices explaining what their model was all about. It was great fun with lots of fun information presented when we did our museum walk.

STEAM in action is win win… Teachers and students working together with wonder to figure how things work. It’s authentic, engaging, and about learning to think like an expert! Hard fun.

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Screen Free Robotics for our Youngest Learners https://blogs.learnquebec.ca/2023/12/screen-free-robotics-for-our-youngest-learners/ Thu, 07 Dec 2023 18:43:11 +0000 https://blogs.learnquebec.ca/?p=14414 Our youngest learners are amazing at robotics! They are curious, patient and resilient when it comes to making robots do what they want. However, limiting screen time for our preschoolers and Cycle 1 students is necessary. I have been doing sessions with students in preschool and Cycle one Elementary over the past few months to […]

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Our youngest learners are amazing at robotics! They are curious, patient and resilient when it comes to making robots do what they want. However, limiting screen time for our preschoolers and Cycle 1 students is necessary. I have been doing sessions with students in preschool and Cycle one Elementary over the past few months to show the many robots that don’t need screens to work. Rather than using a screen to program robots, there are many types of robots that simple use buttons, colour sequencing or tile placement to get them doing what the students want. What I have realized is that it’s easy for students to get started and their engagement is through the roof after a few minutes.

Color Recognition Robots

Many robots on the market that are available to schools via the Plan D’Action Numerique recognize sequence of colours.

Sphero Indi is amazing. It’s a small indy car that rolls over color tiles on the floor that have Indi change direction, go faster/slower, and celebrate of course using a sensor underneath its body. Students are challenged to make race courses and invent stories as they play.

indi Sphero

OzoBots are another color recognition robot. OzoBot loves to follow lines. Again it scans color sequences that are connected to actions the ozobot preforms, for example zig zag, turbo, tornado etc. For our younger learners, they love to draw lines and make up stories about the paths the OzoBot follows.

OzoBot

Tile/Button-based Robots

Tile and button based robots are mainly directional, making them great for storytelling or for free play. Students push sequence of buttons or lay out tiles that are always image based and have the robots move around the room.

The Kudo is a fun robot that has students assemble a directional path on a play mat where storytelling ensues. The students love this little guy and immediately start to construct stories or challenge one another to get from one spot on the mat to another.

Kubo Robot

MatataCode is another tile-based robot that again has students assembling directional tiles and then sending the code to the robot to complete the task. The tiles are set up like a book, from left to right.

MatataCode

If you’re interested in knowing more or would like to test some of these robots in your class please feel free to reach out. Take the first step by filling out the Professional Development Request form Go to form

Check out the powerpoint slides from our Open Creative Space day, with the theme “Unplugged & Basics of Robotics”, on February 22, 2024.

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ShiftED Ep. 27 In Conversation with Robert Martellacci: Navigating the EdTech Frontier and Beyond! https://blogs.learnquebec.ca/2023/12/shifted-ep-27-in-conversation-with-robert-martellacci-navigating-the-edtech-frontier-and-beyond/ Tue, 05 Dec 2023 17:29:52 +0000 https://blogs.learnquebec.ca/?p=14407 “Welcome to ShiftED, the podcast where we embark on a journey through the ever-evolving landscape of education technology. On this episode, we have the privilege of navigating the EdTech frontier and beyond with our esteemed guest, Robert Martellacci, CEO of MindShare Learning and C21 Canada. As a seasoned expert in the intersection of education and […]

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“Welcome to ShiftED, the podcast where we embark on a journey through the ever-evolving landscape of education technology. On this episode, we have the privilege of navigating the EdTech frontier and beyond with our esteemed guest, Robert Martellacci, CEO of MindShare Learning and C21 Canada. As a seasoned expert in the intersection of education and technology, Robert shares his insights on the transformative power of EdTech, exploring its current trends, challenges, and future possibilities. Join us as we delve into the dynamic world of educational innovation, discovering how technology is reshaping the way we learn and teach.

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ShiftED Ep. 26 in Conversation with Author Susan Linn: Screen-time and our Youngest Learners https://blogs.learnquebec.ca/2023/11/shifted-ep-26-in-conversation-with-author-susan-linn-screen-time-and-our-youngest-learners/ Wed, 15 Nov 2023 14:46:35 +0000 https://blogs.learnquebec.ca/?p=14394 World renowned author, psychologist and ventriloquist Susan Linn joined ShiftED podcasts to talk about screen-time’s effects on our youngest learners. We discussed the impacts that marketing has on our children and how to curb kids away from screens and back into creative play. An eye opening conversation for everyone interested in the health and well-being […]

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World renowned author, psychologist and ventriloquist Susan Linn joined ShiftED podcasts to talk about screen-time’s effects on our youngest learners. We discussed the impacts that marketing has on our children and how to curb kids away from screens and back into creative play. An eye opening conversation for everyone interested in the health and well-being of our future generations.

Susan’s website: https://www.consumingkids.com/

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ShiftED Ep. 25 in Conversation with Scott DeJong: Gamifying Education https://blogs.learnquebec.ca/2023/10/shifted-ep-25-in-conversation-with-scott-dejong-gamifying-education/ Tue, 24 Oct 2023 14:13:17 +0000 https://blogs.learnquebec.ca/?p=14364 Scott DeJong is a PhD student in Communication studies at Concordia University examining serious play, web literacy and digital cultures. I recently caught up with Scott to discuss the difference between gamification and game-based learning, the power of gaming in education, social justice games and how to get started with making classrooms more engaging through […]

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Scott DeJong is a PhD student in Communication studies at Concordia University examining serious play, web literacy and digital cultures. I recently caught up with Scott to discuss the difference between gamification and game-based learning, the power of gaming in education, social justice games and how to get started with making classrooms more engaging through playing games. Not only does Scott make awesome games for students, but his games help expose online disinformation and social justice issues, highly relevant topic for todays’ student population. Checkout the games we discussed.

Here are some of the games I mentioned:

Prodigy: https://www.prodigygame.com/main-en/

Ululab Math Makers: https://ululab.com/math-makers/

Cat Park: https://catpark.game/

Articles about Media Literacy Games: My Top 5 List: https://www.concordia.ca/cunews/offic…

Thinking about media literacy differently: https://theconversation.com/video-gam…

Scott’s Game: Lizards and Lies: lizardsandlies.ca/

Additional links: Gamerella (Happening in November) – http://gamerella.ca/

Enjoy 🎙️

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ShiftED Ep. 24 In Conversation with Ron Canuel on the Shifting Educational Landscape https://blogs.learnquebec.ca/2023/10/in-conversation-with-ron-canuel-on-the-shifting-educational-landscape/ Fri, 06 Oct 2023 14:26:21 +0000 https://blogs.learnquebec.ca/?p=14350 Educational strategist Ron Canuel joined ShiftED podcasts for an intriguing conversation on technology integration into school systems. Ron’s 44 year perspective is rich in experiences, practices and strategies to better engage students throughout their learning journey. With insight into many edtech initiatives, Ron’s words ring true today as much as they did 40 years ago; […]

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Educational strategist Ron Canuel joined ShiftED podcasts for an intriguing conversation on technology integration into school systems. Ron’s 44 year perspective is rich in experiences, practices and strategies to better engage students throughout their learning journey. With insight into many edtech initiatives, Ron’s words ring true today as much as they did 40 years ago; technology as a tool for learning is imperative for all. His emphasis on courage to make innovative changes in the face of barriers is a reminder that without courage change is much harder in the educational system, as Ron reminds us…

“Remember that change NEVER EVER HAPPENS WITHOUT COURAGE!! I paid a personal and professional price for doing what was right for children and teachers. There is no REAL educational leadership program that doesn’t emphasize COURAGE!! Sorry but it has to be said.”

Listen to all of LEARN’s podcasts on the platform of your choice. 🎙️

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Bricoler l’AI avec Scratch et le Micro:Bit à FCC 2023 https://blogs.learnquebec.ca/2023/10/bricoler-lai-avec-scratch-et-le-microbit-a-fcc-2023/ Wed, 04 Oct 2023 19:46:07 +0000 https://blogs.learnquebec.ca/?p=14342 The LEARN/RECIT team headed to our annual gather of tech integration consultants to share and learn collaboratively together. This year we wanted to be on the cutting edge, thus we offered a workshop on Artificial Intelligence (A.I) in the Classroom. We introduced three platforms that students can tinker with to learn the nuts and bolts […]

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The LEARN/RECIT team headed to our annual gather of tech integration consultants to share and learn collaboratively together. This year we wanted to be on the cutting edge, thus we offered a workshop on Artificial Intelligence (A.I) in the Classroom. We introduced three platforms that students can tinker with to learn the nuts and bolts of A.I. Our participants were eager to see our session, we had a pack house!

Our focus was on introducing Google’s Teachable Machine platform, we looked at Scratch Lab’s facial recognition block, and then dove into using a Micro:bit to train a movement via ML-Machine.

Our Padlet has all the resources we shared. Here’s our presentation of the session. Great fun to be had!

Participants training the computer as to how an uppercut moves vs. a straight jab

 

Participants had to figure out how to attach the Micro:bit to their item they were gonna train.

Participants training the computer with a sword

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